This is the Coding Machine. It looks a lot like the old Enigma machine, doesn’t it? The designer, Tatjana van Vark, who wins today’s Most Dutch Name Award, won’t reveal its secret—how to solve decrypt messages and whatnot—until someone solves an encrypted haiku.

Here’s the haiku, pasted here to save you the trouble of lifting your finger to click a link:

ETSFV FD1NV ZS7M2
UM8VK RCSZA P11IN FW-KX P/1RW
1MF4L F+3,0 QHWKS H+53- ZMTBI

QRVI8 YKK8Y

How would you even decrypt the message? Don’t you need a few samples, know what language it is, or at least what the subject is (“sports,” “astronomy,” etc.)? I don’t know, it’s been a while since I’ve seen all those Enigma machine documentaries. It’s also sorta hot in here.

via Retro Thing